A BUSY town centre street is to lose up to four parking spaces to make it easier for emergency service vehicles to get through.

Church Street, which houses both Clitheroe Town Council and Ribble Valley Borough Council chambers, as well as the town's library, presently has limited one-hour parking down both sides.

But problems have occurred in the past, during peak times of the day, when the emergency services have had difficulty manoeuvring fire engines and ambulances down the narrow one-way street, where up to 20 cars are parked each day.

One local resident said: "I have seen fire engines unable to get down Church Street.

"The traffic gets backed up very easily, as it's a one-way street, and I have seen cars literally lifted up and moved out of the way so that they can get through."

Public notices are to be attached to lamp-posts in Church Street, inviting comments from residents and motorists.

If the scheme is given the go-ahead parking will be lost for 19 metres -- around three or four spaces -- outside the library at the bottom of the street.

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: "Problems have occurred with cars being allowed to park down both sides of the street, particularly towards the bottom, and we have had reports from local police of complaints about obstructions to through traffic."

He added: "The scheme will take away 19 metres of parking at the bottom of Church Street outside the library, so that all forms of traffic can get through.

"The effects it will have on parking on the street will depend entirely on the size of vehicles and the way they are parked."

The spokesman added that Church Street, and Church Brow, which runs directly on from Church Street, currently provided parking spaces on both sides of the streets.

One local shop worker, who did not want to be named, said she did not think removing the parking spaces would have a big effect on town centre trade.

She said: "People tend to either use the car parks or drive round until a space is free, so I don't think it will make a great deal of difference."

Ribble Valley Borough Council engineering manager Graham Jagger said he is to meet with highway chiefs next week following a complaint received by the council from a woman whose car had been damaged by a wagon while her car was parked at the bottom of Church Street.

He added that on that occasion the wagon had been slightly wider than normal, but that the woman had seen other incidents where wing mirrors had been knocked by passing large vehicles.

He said: " Taking away these parking spaces may be inconvenient for those using the banks or visiting the library and nearby shops.

"But if it means making sure that people can get down Church Street without there being an accident, it can only be beneficial."

Once the scheme has been given the go-ahead, yellow lines will be painted on the designated area and permanent signs alerting motorists to the changes will be put in place.